Author: Nada

The families of two political detainees, Dr. Saeed Al-Samahiji and Jawad Parweez, show lots of concern for their lives inside prison.

Dr. Saeed Al-Samahiji who was arrested from his home in the early morning hours of July 1st, 2014, to serve a one year prison sentence for “insulting the king”, had suffered internal bleeding in his brain back in 2011 following several weeks of intense torture inside prison that mainly targeted his head and face. Dr. Al-Samahiji’s family who has recently visited him inside prison on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014, claimed that Dr. Al-Samahiji complained that he has been denied the access to his medications, while health professionals in Jaw Clinic stressed the necessity of him taking his medications on regular basis. Continue reading “statement – Dr. Saeed Al-Samahiji and Jawad Parweez”

“Education” is considered the prime driving force in the development of civilizations and the axis of measuring the evolution and development of communities. Undoubtedly Bahrain holds a prominent rank in this area according to studies and research, and global reports issued during the last decade. (1)

IntroductionAccording to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 26: “Everyone has a right to Education”. On the basis of this article, this report clarifies clear and flagrant violation of the above-mentioned article. The events after 14th February 2014 in Bahrain have led to a lot of abuses that all citizens, without exception, have suffered. Students have had a share that cannot be bypassed, especially those who are in the age group between 15-18 years old and are the main building block in the construction of the foundations of development and progress.

No more than a month has passed since the speech of BRAVOS’ Chairman, Nada Dhaif, at the Human Rights Council in Geneva which expressed deep concerns about the exposure of some members of the delegation and their families to the arrest, retaliation and harassment, concentrating on the treatment of activists Mohammed AlBuflasa and Ali Fakhrawi.

Building on these concerns, a meeting was held by the head of the Office of the President of the Human Rights Council with the concerned activists in which they were reassured that this issue will be dealt with very seriously.

Sexual violence in its many forms has re-emerged as a torture technique in Bahrain. The Bahrain Independent Commission Inquiry report contains a disturbing litany of testimonies from victims of sexual violence occurring since February 2011.

Human Rights Watch had noted ongoing violations before 2010 but there has been a dramatic upsurge in rape, sodomy, sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation of detainees in recent years.

Despite numerous testimonies and the findings of the BICI report the Bahraini government denies that sexual violence occurs in their prisons and detention centers.

Bahrain is a signatory of the Convention Against Torture and should repeal laws such as Law 56, 2002, which offers impunity for those responsible.

BRAVO is concerned for the life of the detainee Ayman Abdul Shaheed Ramadan, 23, who is a type A hemophiliac (A). This hereditary, genetic disease, causes an imbalance in blood clotting and leads to bleeding in the joints, tissues and even in the brain if the patient is exposed to injury or friction against solid objects. Occasionally bleeding is spontaneous. Continue reading “statement – Ayman Abdul Shaheed”

“BRAVO stresses the need for total inclusion from all sides of the spectrum of political society in the decision making process for the future of Bahrain, subsequent to the Bahraini Regimes invitation to resume political discussions to “representatives of the political societies and independent members of the political community…………… to achieve further consensus around the political agenda”.

The re-arrest of Sayed Yousif AlMuhafdah and Zainab AlKhawaja is an interruption to International Civil Societies efforts for a Peace Process in Bahrain, and to the many Governments and indeed the United Nations who are negotiating for a Democratic form, which recognizes Civil Liberty and Dignity, to be implemented in the country.